Cam Brings Soulful Stories, New Tunes to CMA Fest Fan Club Party

The group of loyal fans who gathered at Cam's fan club party on Thursday (June 7) didn't need to wonder who she is as an artist after she ended a gripping 10-song set.

Cam treated the faithful crowd at the Analog music venue in Nashville (some traveled from as far as the U.K. for CMA Fest) to her Listening Room Series Tour, offering an intimate look at the songs that have made her a star and the stories that have shaped her along the way. The country singer-songwriter shared the inspiration behind signature tracks “Burning House,” “Mayday” and “Half Broke Heart” off her debut album Untamed, breathing new life into each song by detailing how they were created creation, plus some new insight.

The fiery “Runaway Train" — one of the most striking off Untamed — wasn’t originally intended for Cam, she says. She was approached to write a song for Elle King that was “dark,” “Adele-like” and included a technology reference, but when the original demo was rejected, the singer turned it into “Runaway Train” and loved it so much she kept it for herself.

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The burgeoning star also demonstrated her growth as an artist with a sample of new music. Her status as a remarkable singer-songwriter has put her in the writing room with superstars like Sam Smith and Miley Cyrus, and in being surrounded by such successful people, Cam has learned that we all share the same struggles in life, leading to the new track, “Road to Happiness.”

“Why do we get sold that; why do we keep buying into that?” she asked a hushed crowd before launching into a song that centers around the notion that true happiness is only achieved through money and fame.

“Is the future that we’re chasing worth the right nows that we miss?” she asks in the lyrics.

Cam switched gears to another important topic in her life, husband Adam Weaver, whose presence becomes known on the loving “Like a Movie” that will be featured on the next project. "It's really sweet," she says.

One of the most compelling stories from Cam's CMA Fest fan event was that of “Palace,” the raw, impactful Smith cut Cam co-write with the superstar and frequent writing partner Tyler Johnson. You could’ve heard a pin drop as she explained the imagery of building a palace in one’s mind — something you believe you’re destined for, and when it doesn’t come to fruition, that once lavish place becomes ruins. Cam says the song is one that “means so much to me.”

Between her stunning vocals and gut-wrenching lyrics, Cam repeatedly shows how she became one of the country's most steadfast young artists and why she’s earned the praise of so many. And if her new songs are an indication of what to expect from her upcoming album, she may have one of the most intriguing projects of the year on her hands.

She's set to open for Smith on the North American portion of his international 2018 Thrill of It All Tour.